The invention relates to a method for operating a dishwasher comprising at least one washing container, wherein a washing fluid is conveyed by means of a circulating pump to at least one spray device for acting upon items to be cleaned, which are located in the washing container, and comprising a wash program at least composed of the partial program steps pre-wash, clean, intermediate rinse, clear rinse and dry. The invention is further directed towards a dishwasher wherein a method with a variable wash program is provided for application.
Dishwashers usually have at least one washing container and spray devices located therein, wherein the spray devices are loaded with liquid conveyed by a circulating pump in order to act upon items to be washed in the washing container with washing fluid. In the known dishwashers, wash programs composed of the partial program steps pre-wash, clean, intermediate rinse, clear rinse and dry can usually be selected by means of a program controller. Since the washing fluid accumulates washing residues during the wash phases, filter systems are provided in the water circuit of the dishwasher through which washing water circulated by the circulating pump is passed continuously.
The known dishwashers have the disadvantage that the water jet acting on the items to be washed through the spray devices is relatively strong and thus food residues are released relatively rapidly during the pre-wash phase. There is thus a risk that the washing residues cannot be removed in good time or to the required extent and the filter systems provided in the dishwasher become clogged with washing residues, which impedes the water circulation in the dishwasher. This results in back-contamination of the items to be washed as a result of size reduction and fine distribution of the washing residues deposited at the filter systems and thus reduces the cleaning effect of the dishwasher.
It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a method whereby a dishwasher with a variable wash program can be operated such that the appearance of washing residues in the washing liquid is less concentrated or distributed over a longer time interval so that the filter systems in the dishwasher are not overloaded.